Sleeping Sickness
by hbomba
Summary: Bo helps Lauren overcome her insomnia.


Title: Sleeping Sickness

Pairing: Bo/Lauren

Rating: M

Summary: Bo helps Lauren overcome her insomnia.

Spoilers: 2x19

Four days. It had been four days since Lauren had slept and Bo was a little concerned. She was a ball of physical symptoms, though she'd never complain about the aches and pains or the headaches. Bo set the emergency brake and snuck in the side door that she had jury-rigged three months ago. She walked the halls of the compound carefully, as always.

Lauren was awake so frequently that Bo knew she could drop by at any hour, sometimes for counsel, others for sex, and more times than not she simply relieved Lauren of her task, trailed behind her up the stairs and held her until sleep came. Tonight was no different. Lauren was doggedly researching a pet project that had kept her awake for what seemed like months. Their routine had been established long ago and both were remiss to change it.

Bo passed through the doorway carrying a bag of take out and crossed to the kitchen.

"Hey," Bo said breathlessly. "Have you eaten?"

They both knew it was an absurd question. Lauren looked up from the microscope and said what she always did: "I'm starving," as if it were the first time she had thought about food all day and more times than not, it was.

Bo leaned into the open refrigerator, scanning its contents, "You would not believe the day I had," the wine bottle sloshed as she grabbed it. "You know, never mind because no one should have to suffer through it again."

Lauren smiled, already digging into the bag of food behind her. "This all smells so good."

"Help yourself." Bo slid a plate toward Lauren. "I ate already." Lauren stopped to look at her, her hand deep in the paper bag. Bo worried that sometimes Lauren wouldn't eat at all if she didn't visit as often as she did. She played with the edge of the counter and watched Lauren pull the small boxes out, not wasting any time in devouring half an egg roll. "Did you sleep at all?"

Lauren looked at her sheepishly and barely shook her head.

"Are you sure you're human?"

Lauren grunted. "So good." She looked skyward. "It's dripping with monosodium glutamate which," her face lit up as she explained, "is actually naturally occurring non-essential amino acids. They act as flavor enhancers that balance, blend and round out the five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and-," she talked about it like she had achieved enlightenment, "the lesser known fifth taste, umami-Japanese for "pleasant savory taste"- Lauren looked at Bo, whose eyes had started to glaze over. "It's yummy."

Bo smiled and watched as Lauren began her assault on the containers of food. She was always so hungry, but that's how the fair doctor lived her life. Hungry for knowledge, for Bo, for freedom, for the food she should have eaten hours earlier. It was a wonder to Bo that Lauren's purpose in life was to take care of others when she so obviously needed to be looked after. And Bo didn't mind being the one to do it. In fact, Bo had reprioritized the things in her life to make it possible to be so diligent with Lauren. To be able to give back even just a fraction of what she had been given. Bo was so grateful for the knowledge about herself that Lauren had bestowed upon her and for all the times she had put herself on the line by researching things for her behind the Ash's back. And there was always the guilt that Bo still felt over killing Nadia. Truth be told, Bo could pinpoint Lauren's decompensation to that event. The insomnia became intrusive then and now it was an accepted state.

Bo studied her face, wearied and drawn as she contemplated what to eat next. Even now, her beauty was unmatched. Bo sipped her wine and passed the other glass to Lauren who nodded her thanks and smiled at her. It was the calm of these moments that Bo drew from and recharged herself as well. Bo yawned. It was well past three a.m. and Lauren had moved on to cleaning up. Bo knew it would be another ten minutes before she was ready to retreat to her bedroom. Lauren would flit around the loft moving from task to task either finishing them or closing them for the night. When she was finally ready she would walk to Bo, reach out and take her hand, catch Bo's eyes with her own and quietly climb the stairs. Her idiosyncrasies were endearing to Bo but it was time to change the tempo of this dance.

"Lauren," she said into the darkened room.

Lauren's eyes opened and she lifted her head from Bo's breast to look at her.

"I think we need to talk."

"What about?"

"You. This…arrangement we have. I'm not so sure it's working anymore."

Lauren sat up, leaning back against the headboard, she studied her hands. "I'm sorry."

"Hey," Bo covered Lauren's hands with her own, "don't be. I'm just worried about you."

She nodded and intertwined her fingers with Bo's. "When I search my heart for the way we used to be, I can only remember this."

Bo was afraid that she had let this go on for too long. That Lauren was crippled by her help. That she had made it worse than it had to be. And now she had no idea how to make it better. Bo didn't have the answers, just questions. Reaching over, she turned on the lamp. "Doesn't that make you sad?"

Bo could see Lauren's wheels turning. "I hadn't thought about it like that."

"Don't you want to get that back?"

"Of course."

"Lauren," Bo reached out and laid a hand on her face. "I miss us. How we used to be. When I'd come over in the middle of the night and lay with you in your bed. How we'd make love and fall asleep together. I want it back."

Silence crept in as Lauren searched her face. Her mouth opened but no words came out.

"I think we should talk about her."

"I don't think that would do any good."

"Humor me?"

Lauren's eyes hardened. "What is there to say?"

"That I'm sorry for killing Nadia. It was never my intention to hurt her. And that I'm sorry that I left you alone because I couldn't handle what I had done. I should have been there for you."

"Bo…" Pulling her knees up to her chest, Lauren sighed. "I blame myself."

"Oh." All this time Bo had been so focused on what she might have done differently that she didn't even consider how hard it was for Lauren to look back and know the time she had spent with Nadia after her return had been polluted by the Garuda. Every moment of intimacy they shared, every house call Lauren went on, every question Nadia asked, it was all for the Garuda's benefit.

"How do you move on from something you can't even understand? Five years I researched and waited for her to wake up only to have an ancient evil possess her. We're human. She didn't belong in this world." Lauren rested her chin on her knee.

"But you do?" Bo propped herself up on one arm.

"Yes," she said without hesitation.

"How can you be so sure?""Because I know the stakes. And I know that I need to be with you."

Sitting up, Bo crossed her legs. Silence settled between them again. Bo was not one for grand proclamations of love but Lauren's statement was tearing at her insides. Why was this so hard, she thought. Love was the reward at the end of the day for putting up with all the bullshit, how could it be so delicate and feeble, needing tending and mothering so often? She reached out and brushed an errant strand of hair from Lauren's face. But she did love her, more than she'd ever outwardly admit. Lauren reached out and held her hand before she could pull it away. They sat that way, Lauren stroking Bo's hand and Bo gazing at Lauren for an endless minute. And then she said it.

"I love you, Bo."

Sheer terror is what Bo felt in that moment. She swallowed hard. Lauren looked at her expectantly. No pressure, Bo. She swallowed hard. "I love you," she said, finally. Lauren studied her for a long moment. And then she was crawling towards Bo with that familiar sparkle in her eye. It had been awhile since she had seen that look but Bo knew enough to brace herself. Then, Lauren was on her, pushing Bo onto her back. A hand dragged up her side, sending goosebumps sheeting across her skin.

Bo's top was the first thing to go and amidst a flurry of kisses, her pants followed. Lauren was devouring her, pinning her wrists to her sides as she took her time at her breast. She straddled Bo and kissed her like a long, lost lover. Familiar, yet urgent. She was winding Bo up and in a few short moments she would be the one spinning. Bo wrenched her hands free and flipped Lauren onto her back. Bo was not as methodical as Lauren, indiscriminately tearing at her clothes until she was bared beneath her. Bo took it all in. She had to catch her breath at the sight of her.

Bo smoldered. She kissed Lauren again and stretched their arms above her head. Her body pressed down onto Lauren's and she sighed. When Bo's fingers chased a shadow down her side and slid between their bodies, she gasped. Bo covered her mouth again, her kiss slowly growing more and more intense until the only way it could be described was ferocious.

Lauren whimpered and dropped her hands from above her head. Immediately they were set upon Bo. Her hips rocked against Bo's hand and she was losing a battle she had no business winning. When you're in love with a succubus there was little room for thinking you could keep up with her. And like that, Bo was grinding against her, her breathing growing more labored. Bo swallowed the moan that dared escape her throat and the push and the pull of her hips deepened. Her lips were at Lauren's throat as she thrashed against her hand.

"Bo," she gasped, clutching at her back.

She held Lauren's face, staring down at her, the picture of ecstasy, Bo's eyes fluttered shut as her hips jumped and she was lost to the flood of heat and sex. When her hips had stilled, she flopped onto her back and exhaled. "Wow. That was. Wow."

Her eyes raked over Lauren's body. The blush that touched her cheeks made Bo smile. When self-satisfaction gave way to weariness, Bo gathered Lauren in her arms and pulled the duvet around their shoulders. Once Lauren's breathing had slowed, Bo let herself drift off.

For once Bo was not awakened by Lauren baking knishes or typing on her laptop. In fact, Bo slept for hours before she bolted awake, convinced she was late for something. When her heartbeat slowed she checked the clock. Two thirty p.m. Her eyes drifted to Lauren, who was still curled beneath the duvet. Bo kissed her forehead and carefully extricated herself from the bed. Standing at the foot of the bed, she watched over Lauren with a smile as she dressed. Downstairs, Bo would brew a pot of coffee, settle onto the couch and wait. She would be there for Lauren when she woke up.

Fin.


End file.
